They Need You
by DemonFireFox
Summary: Set after Summit. Connor confronts Nightwing about handing over the team to Aqualad.


It was never supposed to end this way. Then again I never knew how it was going to end when it came to my team. Turning them back over to Kaldur was probably the smartest thing I had done while leading the team. Wally and Arty had come over and given me hugs. It was good to know that Wally did not hate me anymore now that he was back with his girlfriend, but since they were technically retired they didn't count.

"Why did you give up the team?" I turned to see Connor standing in the threshold of the door. I wondered how he knew I would be up at Watchtower in my mentor's room but I decided against asking. Connor was the one person I was worried about on the team. I had been the reason that Megan had been endangered; he had every right to hate me.

"I have a problem with sharing. Not exactly a good quality for a leader don't you think?" I heard the door close and the bed move meaning Connor was sitting next to me.

"I was wrong to say that to you. You have done a great job as leader. I guess I was just hurt that you chose not to disclose that kind of information to me." I took a deep breath trying to control myself. "I though after Wally left you and I got close."

"We did."

"Then why didn't you tell me? I just want to know why?" I turned to look the clone in the eye.

"I couldn't risk the information getting out. I knew about Megan." Connors eyes grew only slightly.

"How?" He asked.

"I overheard you two talking. I was going to make my presence known but after I heard that I thought that would be a bad idea." Connor looked at me with curious eyes.

"How does that change you telling me?"

"I had come to an agreement with Kaldur that once Artemis had gone undercover then I would tell you and Megan what was going on but after that I couldn't trust that Megan would be able to handle herself in the felid. Either she might give away their position by not fighting as hard as she could or she might lose control and hurt one of the mentally. I didn't know that it would backfire and her hurt Kaldur." I said. My logic at the time made sense but now it just sounded stupid.

"Again what does that have to do with me?"

"Connor you still love her! I'm not stupid. I can see the way you look at her, and I know you wouldn't have been able to keep that from her. I didn't want to put you in the position where you had to choose between Megan and me. I couldn't do that to you, not with everything that you've been through lately." I looked down at my father's blanket and wished that he were here right now. Bruce always had a way of making me feel better even though I knew that I screwed up.

"You were trying to protect me?" I nodded. "Well stop." I looked up at him with some surprise in my eyes. "I'm the one who protects you not the other way around, got it?"

"What?"

"I said I protect you not the other way around. That has always been how this arrangement works." I let out a small Batglare.

"Don't." I said.

"Don't what?" Connor said seeming confused.

"Don't act like you care so much about my well-being. Just because we got a little close that doesn't mean that all of the sudden you are my soul protector! I don't need your help." I was standing now looking Connor square in the eye without my mask. For the first time in a long time he was allowed to see my eyes. I could tell he was staring at them but I was too mad to care.

"Don't try and pin this on me! You were the one who never bothered to tell me important information that could have saved Megan from kidnapping and Kaldur from mind melting. Obviously you should not be the one to protect us." Connor was also standing. I could see the frustration move to his eyes; his body was tense and his fists were clenched. "Go back to what you are good at, hacking and butchering the English language!"

"Excuse me."

"You heard what I said. What happened to the kid who used to hack into the Pentagon for fun? What happened to the thirteen year old who was always telling me to feel the aster? I want that kid back; he never manipulated us or tried to protect us from information. That kid was always up front and honest with us about missions. Why can't you go back to being him?" Strong hands had a hold of my arms. I tried to look away from his gaze but I just couldn't. Truth was I wanted to go back to being that kid but unlike Connor I realized that it could never happen. As long as Batman was still gone then so was the kid that Connor once knew.

"I'm sorry Connor but he is gone." To my disappointment my voice wavered on the word sorry. It killed me a little inside but at least I knew Connor wouldn't tell on me.

"He doesn't have to be, you have just decided to banish him." Connor sighed and let his hands fall from my arms. His eyes softened and he returned to sitting on the bed. "The worst part about you growing up is that you're right, you don't need me to take care of you. I remember back when we first started this team everyone was so worried about you getting hurt. There was a time when all of us got together behind your back and made an agreement to protect you at all costs. But now you're not little, hell you're just as tall as me. I guess it's not my job to be your bullet proof vest anymore."

"Thank you." I said with a small smile. In truth I had known about their little alliance but I just didn't say anything. I mean it was annoying but it wasn't like they could stop me from getting involved in the action.

"But that also means that you can't be mine."

"What?" Now I was confused.

"Just because you are grown doesn't mean it is your turn to take the hard blows, especially not for me. It was a sweet thought that you wanted to protect me, I appreciate it but you still should have told me. I know it may not seem like it but I do have control over my own emotions, and I could have been very useful in this plan." I felt his arm slip around my shoulder; I looked up to see him have an awkward smile plastered on his face.

"Well then I guess it is for the best that Kaldur is back as leader, he was a lot better at it than me." Connors smile went to a frown as I felt him give my shoulder a light squeeze.

"Don't say that Dick. You did an amazing job considering the conditions that you were working under. And if you didn't notice after Tim crunched the numbers your mission success rate is higher than Kaldur's ever was." Sometimes Connor was too nice, which would normally be weird but in this case it was true. He gave me too much credit.

"It doesn't matter; I hurt more people than he ever did. Cassie won't even talk to me; I mean come on its Cassie! She is Ms. I will talk to anyone for hours!" I sighed. "I deserve it though. Wally was right all those years ago; I'm not Batman." My head dropped down to look at the floor. "Why do I try so hard to live up to a fantasy? I told myself when I was Robin that I would never be like** the** Batman, not after that failsafe mission. The very idea of growing up and being able to emotionally detach myself from a situation like that, I thought I could never do it. But now look at me. I had my best friend's girlfriend fake her own death after I had our leader go under deep cover by pretending to be a traitor!" I jumped to my feet and faced Connor even though he remained sitting. "And what did I do? What risk did I take? Oh yeah that is right, I sat behind a computer and orchestrated the whole thing. And that translates into a whole bunch of nothing!" The self-loathing was evident in my voice.

"Don't do that to yourself. You don't deserve it."

"Oh I deserve it Connor. I deserve that and more. You see a simple I'm sorry isn't going to work this time. I operated this mission outside of league knowledge. When Superman returns I can kiss my dreams of being a part of the Justice League with Batman goodbye." I turned away from him in an attempt to leave but he rose from his seat and turned me around with just one hand.

"Clark wouldn't do that to you. He may be a boy scout but he will understand, especially after the results that we got tonight. Black Manta is in prison also the light and the reach are no longer partners. This was a win for us tonight. It was a win for you." His hand went to my chin and forced it up so that I would look at him. "Batman would be proud of you, and not because of your skills in manipulation, he would be proud because you were ready for the chips to hit the floor. Kaldur may be getting credit for taking down his father but you and I both know that it was you who came up with that battle strategy." I tried to move away but he pulled me back. "Now I won't lie to you, I was angry at first but I do understand why you did what you did, as will the rest of the Justice League. But you can't just hand the team back over to Kaldur, he has been gone to long, he doesn't know them like you do."

"What are you trying to say?" I asked.

"I am saying that you need to ask for your job back."

"No." I couldn't it wouldn't be right.

"You have to."

"It would be the wrong decision. When Kaldur left it was his team, I was only temporary and I knew that." This was starting to get frustrating now.

"When we first made this team Kaldur told you that he would be leader but only until you were ready. According to him you are the rightful leader of this team." I do remember him saying that, but times have changed. I have changed.

"Things are different now, and that includes me. I might have been what he saw as the rightful leader at the time but now, now I'm not. I have done too much to be able to properly lead this team. I mean did you not hear me CASSIE won't talk to me, and then you also have Lagoon Boy who hates my guts."

"Who cares what Lagoon Boy thinks?" Connor smirked.

"Me, I care what each and every one of my teammates thinks of me and my leadership. And trust me right now you are better off with Kaldur." I sighed.

"No we aren't." Connor was very firm with his statement. After about a minute of silence he finally got up and walked to the door, but just before he left I heard him say," Wally may have been right when he said that you weren't the Batman, but you were also correct when you said that you were the closest thing that we had." He turned to face me one last time. "Face it Dick, the world needs a Batman and right now you are all we've got. So take back the team, and help us take back Earth."

**A/N: I know it is a little out of character but I really do just love the interaction between Connor and Dick. I think that there just isn't enough stories out there about them. **

**Please review**


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